Double chin, thick uni-brow, frizzy short hair -- not exactly the epitome of beauty, but nevertheless, something surprises us everyday and today, it came in the form of Susan Boyle.  

A Scottish singleton who participated in Britain's Got Talent, Susan Boyle has become an overnight sensation.  Not only does she have 3 Yes's for her performance, but also, has her performance astonished over 2 million viewers worldwide.  She possesses a cherished gift of a resplendent voice, magnanimous and beautiful in its own wake.  This is quite arguably the culminating instance of inner beauty.  Her rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" remains a poignant message in so many ways and to so many people that I can truthfully say, I will never forget it.  Now, one may ask, "Wow, what more could she ask for?  Famous overnight!"  Well, this woman's life has endured the parochial mindset of many solely because her appearance may not conform to society's definition of outer beauty.

On a quick tangent, Boyle's story reminds me of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, inspired by one of Mr. Hufnagl's self-assessing prompts about inner beauty.  In the early 1800's, Shelley had already recognized an unwillingness to accept those whose appearances may seem unappealing, but possess a beauty that far outshines even the most outwardly beautiful.  Similarly, Cowell's immediate rejection of Susan Boyle as she walked out on that stage reflected the very criticism that Shelley implicated throughout her novel.  To this day, people center their interactions with others based on first impressions, many times refusing to better understand those they choose to judge.  And that I think, is a loss on their part.  As Paula said, Susan Boyle's appearance was a wake-up call, forcing people to realize the fatal mistake of judging a book by its cover and not by its contents.  I mean, at first passing, who would have thought that Susan Boyle could stun the world with a few words and notes?       

I think everyone can see a little Simon Cowell in themselves.